North Carolina FC vs. Houston Dynamo

North Carolina FC (NASL) 2, Houston Dynamo (M.L.S.) 3 (a.e.t.)In a match marked by offensive fireworks and some incredible goalkeeping, Houston Dynamo emerged victorious with a 3-2 extra time victory to claim a hard-won place in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. NCFC defender Steven Miller got proceedings off to a thunderous start with a left-footed missile that found the upper right corner in the fourth minute. Houston struck back through Andrew Wenger’s sliding effort in the 25th minute before taking the lead in the second half via defender Dylan Remick’s excellent individual effort to strip an NCFC center back and slot home a cool finish from the middle of the penalty area in the 62nd. The visitors’ lead last only six minutes before Lance Laing struck another beauty for NCFC. From a free kick 25 yards out, Laing curled a dipping, left footer over the Dynamo wall and beneath a diving Joe Willis to knot the score at 2-2. With just three minutes remaining in regulation, weather forced the teams into the locker room for an hour and a half delay. The sides traded chances throughout the extra half hour, but it was Jose Rodriguez’s first career goal for the Dynamo in the 109th minute that ultimately separated the evenly matched sides.